Esther: If it Pleases the King

We are a culture consumed by a longing for pleasure, but pleasure for who? Who do you long to please: others, yourself, God...? We all live to please someone. In Esther, people are in crisis struggling with the pleasure of their king. The book never mentions God and has no obvious miracles. It seems as if God is no longer King or no longer cares. However in the end, God makes it clear that He is the King on His throne. He is looking for those who will find their pleasure in saying IF IT PLEASES THE KING. #esther #2020

Starter

• Have you ever said or done something that you knew you could never take back? Explain.

Pray

Lord we pray that we would surrender our hearts to you fully. Would you in the power of the Holy Spirit and truth of your word lead "older reverent women" to "encourage the young women to love..."  Would you lead the "older men to be level headed" and the "young men to be self controlled"? Would you help us to believe your irrevocable decrees? Would all that we do and say come from a place of asking, "IF IT PLEASES THE KING..."

Study Questions

"The Irrevocable Decree" - Esther 3-4

God had clearly explained His kingdom plan to His covenant people. God as King has lovingly warned his people about what would happen if their hearts and behaviors were not surrendered to His plan and rule. They wouldn't listen. So in approximately 605 B.C., God sent his loving discipline through a wicked Babylonian King. Many were taken north into slavery and exile in Babylon. God told them how they were to live their lives in captivity while promising that He would bring them back to the land in 70 years (Jeremiah 29).

It is now 70 years later. The Babylonian kingdom has been overthrown by the Persians, just as God said it would happen. Many Jews have been released to go back to Jerusalem. Those that returned rebuilt the temple (Ezra) but not the city walls (Nehemiah). Some Jews like Mordecai and Esther remained and continued to live and labor in Persia. His people are trying to live their lives torn between two Kings and two kingdoms.

In Chapter 3 and 4, the Persian king issues an irrevocable decree that threatens God’s people. However, our eternal and heavenly king has also issued an irrevocable decree. Will we live in light of Yahweh’s irrevocable decree and step out in faith, even to the point of perishing? Are we willing to live simple lives asking, "IF IT PLEASES THE KING..."?

READ Esther 3:1-6

• 1. Mordecai will not bow to Haman the Agagite. The author does not tell us why Mordecai did not bow other than the fact that he was a Jew (see verse 4). Haman was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, enemies of the Jews. Perhaps Mordecai’s conscience convicted him and he felt that as a member of God’s covenant people he could not bow and honor Haman without dishonoring the Lord. Our culture constantly encourages us to honor that which we should not. What are some examples of people, ideas, or issues that our culture tells us to bow down to that Scripture says we should not?
• 2. Why are we tempted to bow down to people and ideas within our culture that are opposed to God?

READ Esther 3:7-15, Esther 1:19

• 3. The decree of any Persian king was irrevocable (see chapter 1 and Ahasuerus’s decree concerning Vashti). What are the consequences of Mordecai’s actions? In light of the full story of Esther, are they good or bad (hint: this answer is not so simple!)? Who do you think is responsible for those consequences?
• 4. What parallels do you see between the Jews of Esther’s day and Christians of our own?
• 5. It is easy to see Haman as the clear villain of the story – he is – but we must not be afraid to ask ourselves if we share any similarities with him. Mordecai was willing to sacrifice his safety and reputation in order to not honor Haman. Haman went out of his way to protect his image and reputation – all the way to genocide. In what ways might you tend to behave or have a similar heart to Haman?

READ Psalm 136:1-12, Isaiah 40:1-5, Isaiah 62:1-4

• 6. What do we learn about the Lord and His posture toward His people in these passages?
• 7. In what circumstances are you tempted to deny the reality of God’s deliverance for His people? Why?